vomiting water on a mtn top... unpleasant and unsettling experience

[DavidNH]

This past Friday (July 25, 2014) I climbed Mount Osceola (a 4,300 foot mountain in the Whites of NH). It took me 3hrs 20 minutes to the summit over pretty rough trail. Skies and smoke from distant wildfires limited the view. I carried two full one liter bottles of water with me, camera, fleece jacket, and lunch which consisted of pb and j, and a sandwich of bulky roll, margin, mayo, turkey slice, provolone cheese and two flat sweet pickles.

I was tired so I rested on the rocks for a bit then proceeded to eat my sandwich (kept pb and j for later). Several times in quick succession I vomited the water I had drank. It was safe water.. brought from home. 4 backpackers who witnessed this were very supportive and helpful and even gave me the better part of 2/3 liter of water for my two hour trip down to my car.


The reason I am writing this is I am concerned about what happened. Can vomiting water come from drinking too fast? or too much too soon? I only carried two liters so at best I drank a liter (quart) on the summit. Another hiker gave me a banana which seemed to help. After a few minutes the nausea feeling went away and I was ok and now (the next day) I am totally fine.

Has something like this ever happened to you where you feel nauseus and throw up water you recently drank?

The air was quite dry (dew points in low 50's) and my lips would get bone dry to point of soreness if I didn't drink with regularity.

Anything I might do to prevent incidents like this in future?

thoughts and advice appreciated.

One girl said that " It must be the pickles. Pickles will do it every time." She might have been cracking a joke, not sure.


David

[RED-DOG]

For me when i hike up hill and get real hot i have to allow myself ample time to cool off before i drink or eat or i will start to feel Nauseated so i think you didn't allow your body to cool down enough before you dranked the water.
How regular does this happen or is this the only time?

[DavidNH]

This was my second time. First was a couple years ago going up Kings Ravine. On both occasions it wasn't a hot day and I didn't feel overheated. In fact this most recent incident on Osceola it was cool enough to wear fleece. But perhaps its more a matter of resting after significant exertion than the body cooling off from hot temps?

[centerfieldr162]

Maybe try to take a break before drinking so much water. Did you get that "ugh" feeling in your stomach after drinking the water where you feel too full and can hear it sloshing around? It might help to drink more water the day before so you can properly hydrate yourself and maybe you wouldn't feel the need to drink as much during the hike? I don't know, just thinking out loud here

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[FatMan]

If I read your post correctly you drank a full liter when you reached the summit after a tough climb. Yes, drinking a large quantity of water can make you sick after stressing your body. It is best to drink less, more often.

[BuckeyeBill]

I have also heard never put mayo on a sandwich until you are ready to eat. mayo van go bad in 30 minutes under the right conditions.

[Tipi Walter]

My buddy Gonzan OVERHYDRATED and had a similar experience---it's midway down the trip report---

http://www.trailspace.com/forums/tri...cs/117445.html

[sfdoc]

Mayo has vinegar in it, making it fairly safe for longer than 1/2 hour. Sounds like the exertion plus the volume wasn't good for you.

[Likeapuma]

If I chug down water my stomach will hurt for a bit, & occasionally I'll get a "vomit burp" (lol Idk how describe it otherwise). Your best bet is to slow down, even if you feel like gulping it down.

[DavidNH]

thanks guys. Your thoughts are reassuring. I must have drunk too much too quick after the heavy exertion of the climb. Thing is.. I felt dehydrated yet I ended up over hydrating. Maybe i should give more emphasis to rest breaks than chugging water.

Likeapuma I think sums it up best.. slow down even though I feel like gulping it down. And I really felt like gulping it down!!!

[rocketsocks]

On a similar note. Once I pounded a Gatorade after exertion, and I thought my heart was gonna beat outta my chest...scared me a bit...wont do that again. To much to soon.

[Another Kevin]

One reason that I use a Camelbak is that having the hose right there by my face is a reminder to drink while I'm on the move, so I never face the temptation to just chug a litre of too-cold water. For the same reason, 'cameling up' has never worked for me. Either my stomach rejects it, or I feel punk and hike weakly until I've peed out the excess, and the excess always seems to go more to pee than to hydration.

[Likeapuma]

I thought a camelback would do the same, but I hate the extra effort required to drink out of my "ghetto back" (Cabela's version lol). Maybe I'm just ridiculously lazy? But it feels like I'm trying to drink an extra thick milkshake through an anorexic straw.

I just make sure to take a couple sips every time I stop, & usually drink ¼-½ liter whenever I take a longer break.

I only day hike, & "high mileage" is anything over 15 miles, so I don't have near the experience as everyone else on here.. But I can easily go through 4 liters in those miles.

[lynn523]

"I thought a camelback would do the same, but I hate the extra effort required to drink out of my "ghetto back" (Cabela's version lol). Maybe I'm just ridiculously lazy? But it feels like I'm trying to drink an extra thick milkshake through an anorexic straw."

Likeapuma,

I used to feel the same way with my first camelback (or whatever equivalent it was that came with a daypack I got as a gift.). Many years later I to decided to try cutting off the bite valve and replacing it with a camelback one. (The kind with a "locking" switch. It worked like a charm, and now I much prefer a hydration pack to a bottle. So, I wonder if you also may have a faulty bite valve?

[Trailweaver]

Drink small amounts more often on the way up, as others have suggested. I would also suggest that you use lip gloss (or balm of some kind) to keep your lips from drying out. I lick my lips frequently, which dries them out when I hike, so I constantly re-apply lip gloss.

[gpburdelljr]

We left open mayonnaise on the shelf when I was growing up and never got sick from it. The high acidity keeps bacteria from growing.

[Likeapuma]

Likeapuma,

I used to feel the same way with my first camelback (or whatever equivalent it was that came with a daypack I got as a gift.). Many years later I to decided to try cutting off the bite valve and replacing it with a camelback one. (The kind with a "locking" switch. It worked like a charm, and now I much prefer a hydration pack to a bottle. So, I wonder if you also may have a faulty bite valve?

I appreciate the advice! I have an old camelback setup laying around somewhere. I'll have to give it a shot.

[Pedaling Fool]

I don't ever have to worry about drinking too much water too soon, even in the hottest conditions.

I hear the warnings all the time, but I believe this is only a concern when your body is in a kind of shut down mode from over exertion. I've run out of water on bike rides before and got super thirsty and when I finally got some water it was always cold and I usually downed 24 ounces super quick and then fill it up again for some more... I do push myself pretty hard on my rides, but I'm also use to that exertion, never had cramps or felt like throwing up, only collapsing . I do remember getting cramps years ago from drinking too much water, but I wasn't in great shape.

Maybe your body was over exerted (past a point you're not use to) and you drank too much then...

[shelb]

I talked to my friend who is a nurse, and she said that you can vomit from drinking too much water too fast. As others have posted.... it is best to drink frequently and continuously.....

[BuckeyeBill]

I talked to my friend who is a nurse, and she said that you can vomit from drinking too much water too fast. As others have posted.... it is best to drink frequently and continuously.....

Did this nurse friend happen to mention when they pump someone's stomach, they put a tube into the stomach and start pumping sterile water in until you vomit? Not a pretty sight.